Oil distributing and apportioning device



April 16, 1940. G. NEMEfZ 2,197,705

OIL DISTRIBUTING AND APPORTIONING DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1 I

//vve/v an April 16, 1940. G. NEMEfZ 2,197,705

OIL DISTRIBUTING AND APPORTIONING DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

April 1940- G. NEMETZ ,197,705

OIL DISTRIBUTING AND APPORTIONING DEVICE File d Oct. 15, 1937 v s Sheets-Sheet s Fig.6

Patented Apr. 16, 1940 OIL DISTRIBUTING AND APPORTIONING DEVICE Gustav Nemetz,.Vienna, Austria, assignor to the firm Alex. Frledmann, Vienna, Austria Application October 15, 1937, Serial No. 169,337 In Austria October 21, 1936 7 Claims.

This invention relates to central lubricating devices, and more particularly to an oil distributing and apportioning device which is inserted between a feeding-device, such as an oil pump, and the individual places to be lubricated, and has for its object to supply these places, one after the other, with predetermined amounts of oil.

It has been already proposed to provide oil distributing devices of the class referred to above, wherein at a given moment one of two pistons is moved to feed a certain quantity of oil and the other piston is in its end position and serves to control the oil flow like a slide valve. .To secure a satisfactory operation, the last named piston must be prevented from accidentally leaving its end position during the feeding strokeoi the other piston. This-is complicated by a special locking member which engages, and positively maintains one piston in its controlling or end position during the whole stroke of the other piston. Such an arrangement is relatively expensive and complicated and the locking membcr which is not accessible from outside is subject to the-danger that it may be bound accidentally, thus disturbing the operation of the whole apparatus.

The main object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of the class referred to above, which avoids the enumerated inconveniences.

' A iurther object or the invention is to provide oil distributing apparatus wherein the locking member is dispensed with and the lockingmeans I for maintaining one piston in its end position is formed by the other piston.

A still further object or the invention is to form the locking means of the pistons so that contact between both pistons during the operation takes place along suillciently large surfaces in order to avoid a mutual binding of both pistons due to their relative'engagement.

Another-"object of the invention is: to improve the mechanism for measuring the quantity of oil delivered by the distributing apparatus, this mechanism forming part or the apparatus. There are already known such mechanisms which indicate the number of feeding strokes of the pistons and include a driving member which passes from the interior or; the casing of the distributing apparatus through a stufling box or the like outwardly and act upon an indicating device consisting of a plurality of dials and arranged outside the casing. In such an arrangement the passing of said driving member from the interior of the casing set under pressure, outwardly results in certain inconveniences which are likewise removed by the invention.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will result from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings some embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view according to line II of Fig. 2, 10 Fig. 2 is'a cross sectional view according to line II-II of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment. Fig. 3 is a section according to line III-III of Fig. 4 and Fig. 4 is a section according to line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a third embodiment. Fig.

5 is a section according to line V-V of Fig. 6 and Fig. 6 is Fig. 5.

' Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a'piston used in the device according to Figs. 5 and 6.

Figs. 8 to 15 show diagrammatically difierent 5 positions of a detail of the device according to Figs. 5 and 6.

Figs. 16 to 18 show an indicating mechanism. Fig. '16 is a longitudinal section according to line XVI-XVI of Fig. 17.

Fig. 17 is a cross-section according to line XVIIXVII of Fig. 16, and

Fig. 18 is a plan view.

In the embodiment shown in Figs.

a section according to line VI-VI of 1 and 2, the

casing or the oil distributing apparatus is 35 provided with two cylindrical bores 2, an arranged perpendicularly to each other in different planes, the spacing of which is such that the bores partly penetrate each other at their cross-point or centre of the device. The ends of pistons l and ,l. fit snugly within the bores 2, 2., respectively and constitute movable walls of tour chambers I00, I00., I001, and l00c formed near the ends of the bores 2, 2., respectively. and closed at their ends by plugs 26, 21 and 26., 21a screwed into the casing. A chan- 'nel 3 leading from the chamber I00 opens into the cylindrical wall of the bore 2, and in a similar manner the chamber I30. is connected with the bore 2 through a channel 3., the chamber I001. with thebore 2-. through a channel It, and the chamber I000 with the bore 2 through a channel 00. The piston l is provided with two annular recesses or necks 0 and 9, the edges or which serve to control the flow'ot the oil as it piston la.

and 9 of the piston I serve as a means to con-' trol the flow of lubricant through the channels I will be described later on. The piston 2a is provided with similar recesses 83 and 9a. The oil under pressure by a suitable pump or the like (not shown) is supplied to the device through a central opening 6. Channels 1, 19., lb, 1c in the casing leading from the bores 2 and 2a are connected by supply pipes fastened in the threaded holes 42, 42a, 42b, 420 to the places to be lubricated so that four such places may be supplied with oil.

The pistons I and a are moreover provided at .about the middle of their length with two annular grooves l3, l4 and I 33., I49. respectively, which are formed and arranged so that when one piston assumes one of its end positions, the other piston is allowed to pass through one of these grooves of the first named piston. The grooves l3 and I4 communicate through a channel l5 passing through the piston I, and the grooves I38 and Ida are likewise connected by means of a channel I53 passing through the As shown in Fig. 1, the recesses 8 3a and 30, whereas the recesses 8a. and 9a of the piston la serve as a means to control the flow of lubricant through the channels 3 and 3b. Moreover,- the recesses 8 and 9 of the piston I serve as a controlling means to connect or disconnect the channels 39. and 1a, or 30 and 10, respectively, whereas the recesses 88, and 9a. of the piston a. serve as a controlling means to connect or disconnect the channels 3 and 1, or 3b and 1b, respectively.

The device operates as follows:

In the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the piston l assumes its lower end position, and

the pis o n a s its right-hand end position 1 contact between both pistons takes place not so that the groove '43, is in alignment with the bore 2 which accommodates the piston l and allows the same to move upwards. The oil under pressure enters through the opening 6 into the groove Me of the piston a. and also into the groove l3 of the piston I, from where it flows maintained in its right hand end position.

through'the channel l5 into the groove I 4 of the piston I and further through the channel 3c into the chamber 100C so that the piston I9, is At the same time, the chamber Iota is connected through the channel 3a, the recess 8 and the discharge channel 1:; to the associated point of consumption so that a slight pressure exists in chamber I003. This pressure is defined by the resistance to flow exerted from the respective point to be lubricated. In a similar manner, the chamber Hills is connected through the channel 31$, the recess 98. and the discharge channel lb to its associated point of consumption.

The oil entering at 6 moreover flows at the same time from the groove I a. through the channel l5a, the groove '39. and the channel3 into the chamber I00 so that the piston l is moved upward and oil is forced thereby through the channel 3b, the recess 9a. and the channel 1b to the respective point of consumption. During this movement-of the piston I its unrecessed portion situated between the grooves l3 and I4, passes through the groove I48 of the piston la. thus preventing the piston la. from leaving its end position. I

After the piston I has completed its upward stroke which is limited by the plug 21 the groove I4 is in alignment with the bore 25, so that the piston I8 is allowed to move to the left, and the recess 8 no longer provides communication between the channel is and the channel It, whereas the recess 9 has connected the channel 3:: with the in the chamber Hills whereby oil is forced from the chamberlllflc through the channel 3c, the groove 9 and the channel 1c to the respective point of consumption. In a similar manner, thereafter the piston l is moved downwards and finally the piston la is moved to the right again. In thismanner a cycle including four feeding strokes is effected and such cycles are repeated continuously, the individual places to be lubricatedbeing supplied with oil.

It is to be noted that at a given moment. one piston exerts a feeding movement, while the other piston is stationary and acts in its end position as a means to control the flow of the oil, and that this stationary piston is not allowed to leave its end position, before the other piston has completed its stroke, since the stationary piston is maintained in its end position by the moving piston.

Due to the form of the grooves l3, l4 and Us,

a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the slidable contact serving for the accommodation or passage of the other piston, in such a manner that the slidable merely at single points, but along sufficiently large surfaces which may be curved or flat. Such an arrangement will be now described.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the general arrangement of the pistons and the several channels in the casing is substantially the same as in Figs. 1 and 2. Instead of the grooves l3, l4 and 3a, '49., however, recesses I6 and I! are provided in the piston l, and recesses Ilia and I 15 in the piston In, These recesses have a circular cross-section and are formed by a cylindrical surface, the axis of which is perin' which both pistons are in their end positions.

In this position one circular recess of one piston is opposite one circular recess of the other piston so that when one or both pistons are accidentally rotated about their axes, therecesses are displaced so that passing of one piston through the recess of the other piston is no longer possible. In order to avoid this inconvenience means are provided to prevent the pistons from rotation about their axes. For this purpose bolts l8 and I85 screwed into the casing 40 engage with their inner ends into longitudinal grooves 1.9 and I9 in the pistons and It, respectively. In this manner the correct relative angular position of the pistons is always maintained. The admission port 6 is connected with the interior of the casing by means of four channels 50 arranged about the bolt l8. The operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is the same as that of Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6 and '7, a pair of recesses 20, 2| are formed in the piston and a similar pair of recesses are formed in the piston la. These recesses are likewise formed so that the contact between .both pistons during their movement takes place along sufficiently large surfaces. In this example, these recesses are formed by a plain surface 22 in the piston and 22a in the piston |a, these surfaces being parallel to the axis of the associated piston. From the centre of each of these surfaces projects a square stud 23 and 23:1,I8SDCCUVE1Y, to such anextent that, when the pistons are assembled in 'the casing 40, the top surface '38 of the stud 23 of the piston I bears against the plain surface 22a of the piston '8. the top surface 38a of the stud 23a of the piston la bears against the plain surface 22 of the piston By this mutual engagement the correct relative angular position of the pistons is assured so that special means to prevent the same from rotation about their axis are superfluous. The studs, moreover, serve to lock one piston in its end position during the whole stroke of the other piston, as it will be described later on.

In the present example the studs 23 and 23.. have a square outline and the length of a side .of such a square is equal to one half of the stroke of the pistons, provided that, as in the present case, the strokes of both pistons have the same length. The strokes of both pistons may have also different lengths and the studs must be so dimensioned thatthe sum of the dimensions of both studs 23 and 23-, measured in the direction of the axis of one piston must be equal to the stroke of this piston.

In operation, the studs 23 and 23. move around each other, a slidable contact taking place between them along their lateral surfaces. Furthermore, the top surface 38 of the stud 23 slides along the plain surface 22:, and the top surface 38:, of the stud 23. slides along the plain surface 22. By means of this double engagement angular movements ofwthe pistons relatively to one another are prevented and that piston which is in its end position is prevented from leaving this position, before the other piston has completed its stroke. In Figs. 8 to 15 the subsequent relative positions of the studs 23 and 23a in the course of one operating cycle of the apparatus are diagrammatically indicated. At first the piston I moves from itslow end position shown in Figs. ands-6, upward, the stud 23 thus moving likewise upward (Fig. 8) and preventing the stud 23a and therefore also the piston I; which is in its righthand end position, from moving to the left. The stud 23 moves past the stud 23; (Fig. 9) and when it has reached the position shown in Fig. 10

the stud 23. and therefore the piston I. is allowed to move to the left (Fig. 11) The further relative movement of the studs 23 and 23,. will be easily seen from the Figs. 12 to 15 and therefore need not be described.

In order to insert or remove the pistons into or from the casing II which consists of a single piece, at both ends of the plain surface 22 of the piston 'I there are provided grooves 24 and 25 formed as cylindrical surfaces, and in a similar manner the piston I. is provided with grooves 24; and 25a- The grooves 24 and 25 of the piston I are adapted to accommodate the full crosssection of the piston la, and vice versa. For removing one of the pistons, for instance the piston Ia, not only one of the plugs 26. and 21., but also one of the plugs 26 and 21 must be removed. The piston I is then moved towards the opened end of the bore 2 so that one of the grooves 24 or 25 comes into alignment'with the bore 2a so that the piston la may be removed.

The Figs. 16, 1'1 and 18 show a mechanism for indicating the number of strokes of the dis- .mechanism is driven by one of the pistons of the distributing device, in the present example by the piston l. Near the chamber Hill the casing 40 has a lateral extension 4| enclosing a cylindrical hollow space 28 in which an aperture 34 forming a window is provided. Into the hollow space 29 a glass tube 30 is inserted which encloses a stroke-indicator 3| including a number of dials the digits of which are visible through the. glass tube 30 and the window 34. This stroke-indicator may be of any desired known construction and need not be described since it does not form part of the invention. .Thus the stroke-indicator 3| is situated in a space which communicates with the chamber I00 and is therefore also set under pressure, so that the space in which the stroke indicator is situated is filled by oil. This space is closed by the screw plugs 26, and 31. of the stroke-indicator 3| is fixed a rocking arm 32 which engages with its bifurcated end 33 into an annular-groove 28 formed in the end of the piston I so that a driving connection is established between the moving parts of the distributing device and the stroke-indicator 3|.

When the lubricant is very dark so as to considerably impair the visibility of the digits of the dials of the stroke-indicator 3| a partition wall 36 may be arranged between the space receiving this indicator and the chamber I00, and this space may be filled with another suitable liquid, such as glycerine or the like, which is sufficiently transparent and is not easily mixed with the oil. It is not necessary that the shaft 39 be guided by the partition wall 36 with a tight fit since the lubricating oil will not be mixed with the glycerine or the like due to the fact that in the chamber I00 and in the space receiving the stroke-indicator substantially the same pressure will prevail.

It is to be seen that by arranging the strokeindicator 3| in a space under pressure, the objectionable arrangement is avoided wherein a moving member passes from the interior of the casing 40 through the wall of the same outward in an oil tight manner.

What I claim is: i

1. An oil distributing and apportioning device comprising, a casing having two cylindrical bores closed at their ends and extending transversely On the'driving shaft 39 to each other in said casing in two different cylindrical surface of one of said bores to said chambers of the other bore, the other pair of channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore to the chambers of the first bore, said casing having two additional pairs of channels, one pair of said additional channels leading from the cylindrical surface of one of said bores to two discharge openings, the other pair of said one of its end positions.

2. An oil distributing and apportioning device as set forth in claim 1, wherein two, of said grooves are provided in each piston so that one piston is allowed to pass through one of these grooves of the other piston when the latter is in one end position and through the other of these grooves of the other piston when the latter is in the other end position.

3. An oil distributing and apportioning device comprising, a casing having two cylindrical bores closed at their ends and extending transversely to each other in said casing in two different planes the distance between the planes being such that said bores partly penetrate each other at their cross-point, two pistons slidable in said bores, the ends of said pistons constituting movable walls of four chambers at the ends of said bores, said casing having two pairs of channels therein, one pair of channels leading from the cylindrical surface of one of said bores to said chambers of the other bore, the other pair of channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore to the chambers of the first bore, said casing having two additional pairs of channels, one pair of said additional channels leading, from the cylindrical surface of one of said bores to two discharge openings, the other pair of said additional channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore to two further discharge openings, said pistons having recesses for controlling the flow of oil through said channels, and each of said pistons having two transverse recesses arranged at those points of said pistons which cross each other during their relative movement, each of said transverse recesses being formed as a cylindrical surface the axisof which is perpendicular to the axis of the piston in which the recess is formed, and the diameter of each transverse recess being substantially equal to the diameter of the other piston so that one piston is allowed to pass through one of the transverse recesses of the other pistonwhen the latter is in one of its end positions.

4. An oil distributing and apportioning device as set forth in claim 3, wherein means are provided to prevent said pistons from rotation about their axes.

5. An oil distributing and apportioning device comprising, a casing having two cylindrical bores closed at their ends extending transversely to each other in said casing in two different planes the distance between the planes being such that said bores partly penetrate each other at their cross-points, two pistons slidable in said bores, the ends of said pistons constituting movable walls of four chambers at the ends of said bores, said casing having two pairs of channels therein, one pair of channels leading from the cylin drical surface of one of said bores to said chambers of the other bore, the other pair of channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore-to the chambers of the first bore, said casing having two additional pairs of channels, one pair of said additional channels leading from the cylindrical surface of one of said bores to two discharge openings, the other pair of said additional channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore of two further discharge openings, said pistons having recesses for controlling the fiow of oil through said channels, each piston having two transverse recesses arranged at those points of the pistons which'cross each other during their relative movement, each of said transverse recesses being formed by a plain surface, a projection oneach of said surfaces, said surfaces and said projections being so formed that one piston is allowed to pass through one recess of the other piston when the latter is in one of its end positions and during such movement an outer surface of the, projection of one piston slides along the plain surface of the other piston and the lateral surfaces of both projections slide past one another.

6. An oil distributing and apportioning device, as set forth .in claim 5, wherein a groove is provided at both ends of said plain surfaces of both pistons to accommodate the full cross-section of the other piston when being in alignment with the latter.

7. An oildistributing and apportioning device comprising, a casing having two cylindrical bores closed at their ends and extending transversely to each other in said casing, a piston slidable in each of said bores, the ends of said pistons constituting movable walls of four chambers at the ends of said bores, said casing having two pairs of channels therein, one pair of channels leading from the cylindrical surface of one of said bores to said chambers of the other bore, the other pair of channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore to the chambers of the first bore, said casing having two additional pairs of channels, one pair of said additional channels leading from the cylindrical surface of one of said bores to two discharge openings, the other pair of said additional channels leading from the cylindrical surface of the other bore to two further discharge openings, said pistons having recesses controlling the flow of oil through said channels in such a manner as to apportion by cyclical rotation limited quantities of oil from the source of pressure through said chambers to said four discharge openings, projections on each of said pistons at those points of said pistons which cross each other during their relative movement, one projection of the one piston preventing the other piston from leaving its end position while the first piston executes its stroke.

' GUSTAV NEMETZ. 

